


Lady of the Day

by odddaysgeorge (Odddaysgeorge)



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Ashen Romance | Auspistice, Beforus Ancestors, Culling, F/F, Flushed Romance | Matesprits, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance, Quadrant Confusion, Sex Work, not exactly sex work, the ashen equivalent of sex work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-27 10:01:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7613746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Odddaysgeorge/pseuds/odddaysgeorge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Mediator has an unusual day at work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lady of the Day

**Author's Note:**

> For Vriskanweek, day four: Beforan selves
> 
> Eventual flushed vriskan, other relationships include a parental relationship between Kanaya and Karkat, ashen vriskanrezi, pale scourge, and pale vriskan.
> 
> Typing quirks are not used in this fic because they are speaking out loud.

"Good day, Karkat," The Mediator whispered to her cull-wiggler as he drifted off to sleep.

 

She thought back to when she first found the strangely-colored grub in the brooding caverns. She knew no lusus would take him, and when she looked into his eyes she somehow knew, that she would have to be the one to cull him herself. It was unusual for a jadeblood to take on such a responsibility, especially the Matriark of the caverns, but Kanaya  was certain that this troll would be special someday, that it was her destiny to raise him. It was much like the feeling a lusus has when it chooses its ward, the purely instinctual desire to protect.

                  

Of course, she couldn't maintain her position in the brooding caverns, anymore-- the Matriark must tend to the Mother Grub, keep a watchful eye over the newly-hatched, and train young jadebloods for their duties. No, the culler of a defenseless pupa cannot have her attention spread so thin. Now, she spent her nights tending to the small mutant's every need, with no other trolls around   to demand her time.

 

 _Nights_ being the operative word. With  natural resistance to the blistering Beforan sun, the Mediator was able to move unnoticed in a business where discretion was often key. While others may have been called as such, she was one of the few who could truly live up to the title "lady of the day." Concupiscent and even pale workers were not hard to find, but the Mediator offered an even more necessary service, to a sophisticated clientele. Professional  Auspistices were rare, skilled ones even rarer. While at times she missed the respect afforded to her as Matriark, she truly did enjoy seeing two hostile trolls turn into affectionate barkbeasts under her pacification. And besides, she needed a job to care for her precious cull-troll, and this was as good as any. In the end, it always came back to Karkat. Everything she did was for his sake. Perhaps, she was more of a Matriark now than she had ever been when she officially held the title.

 

Today, she would pay a visit to a pair of her favorite regulars: Arkivist Lightweb Kindfang and Radglare the Unlawful. Lightweb was a scholar of some repute, known not only for her brilliance but also for her geniality and compassion. But somehow, her rival and fellow activist managed to bring out the worst in her. Radglare, so called for her radical politics and opposition to the Empress's rule, said Lightweb was too soft, too complacent to enact change directly. Lightweb said that Radglare had no strategy, and that her form of activism would only lead to violence.  Their sessions usually comprised of a healthy balance of honest discussion between the two and soothing touches delivered by Kanaya. Now, she crept through the entrance of the Arkivist's hive, wondering what that day's topic of discourse would be. As she entered their usual meeting room, the Mediator was surprised to find Lightweb, alone, seated atop an immense pile of books.

 

"Oh, hello, Virgo," Lightweb greeted her, using the alias Kanaya would give when clients asked for her hatch-name.

 

"Where is Radglare," the Mediator asked flatly.

 

"Oh, Terezi won't be needing your services today. Our feud is over--we get along _quite_ well now thanks to you."

 

"Why did you call me here?"

 

Lightweb didn't answer, simply commanding, "Sit here with me, Virgo."

 

Kanaya did as she was told, nestling into the pile and opening one of the countless books. The two trolls sat silently reading for what seemed like an eternity, savoring the unspoken pleasure of each other's company.

 

Finally, the jadeblood broke the silence: "Lightweb?"

 

"Call me Vriska, please."

 

"Vriska. Why am I here?"

 

"Tell me your hatch-name."

 

"Virgo. You know that."

 

"Your _real_ hatch-name."

 

The Mediator sighed. "Kanaya Maryam."'

 

"That's a beautiful name."

 

"Thank you. Can I ask what happened with Terezi?"

 

"There's not a whole lot to say. We talked it out, both agreed to stop being so bitchy to each other, and we're moirails now."

 

Kanaya pulled away in confusion. "Radglare is your _moirail? Why are we doing this?"_

Vriska suddenly realized what had happened. Somehow, without her even noticing  it, they had gone from reading and barely acknowledging each other  to cuddling feverishly, desperate for each others' affection.

 

"Holy shit you're _right_ ," Vriska responded. "This is all wrong. We can't do this. I'm sorry I don't know what I was th--"

 

Vriska was silenced as Kanaya's lips were pressed to her own.

 

"We cannot have a _pale_ affair," Kanaya whispered as their lips parted. "But do either of us have a _matesprit_?"

 

Vriska grinned, catching the other troll's meaning, and began to stand up. "I'll be back with a bucket."


End file.
